ESPRIT arena
Fortuna Dusseldorf
- Games of Fortuna Dusseldorf
- Matches of the German national football team
- Various concerts
- World Youth Day 2005
- World Bowl on 11 June 2005
- TV total Stock Car Crash Challenge 2008
- European Youth of the New Apostolic Church in 2009
- Race of Champions 2010, 2011
- Sensation 2007-2010, 2012
- Euro Vision Song Contest 2011
The Esprit arena is a multifunctional arena in the district of Stockum the North Rhine- Westphalian capital Dusseldorf. By June 2009, it was called LTU arena, during the Euro Vision Song Contest in May 2011 Dusseldorf Arena. The football club Fortuna Dusseldorf receives his opponents to home games here. With more than 54,600 spectators, the Esprit Arena is the third largest football stadium in North Rhine -Westphalia and the eighth largest in Germany.
- 7.1 See also
- 7.2 External links
History
The building was built between 2002 and 2004 in place of the then existing Rhine stadium, but was slightly offset to the north. The stadium with a retractable roof has 54,600 seats. At concerts, in which the interior can be shared, the capacity is up to 66,500 spectators, depending on the arrangement of the stage. A special feature is the modern air conditioning technology that allows it in the winter to heat the interior to 15-18 ° C.
Namesake and sponsor of the arena was, until 30 June 2009, Headquartered since 1961 in Düsseldorf Airport and now leavened in Air Berlin charter airline LTU. The contract between the arena operators and the holiday flier was signed on 22 September 2004. Since the LTU brand in favor of a uniform market appearance of Air Berlin has been abandoned, the lease term was shortened by agreement.
Since 1 July 2009, the stadium is called ESPRIT arena. This was announced on 16 March 2009. The European headquarters of the Esprit group is located in the neighboring Ratingen. On March 26, 2013 it was announced that Esprit want to get out of the contract running until 2014 at an early stage. According to newspaper reports in late April, the words " spirit " of the name is already eliminated. Reasons, the company announced not to. However, the District Court of Dusseldorf decided on 7 March 2014 that the termination was invalid and must remain Esprit 2019 title sponsor until the end of the contract period.
Home team is the football club Fortuna Dusseldorf. Until 2007, the American Football Club Rhein Fire had held this position. In the second half of the Bundesliga season 2008/ 09 Bayer 04 Leverkusen also wore its home games in the multi-purpose arena, because their own stadium - the BayArena - was rebuilt at this time.
In addition to its use as a venue the Sports Department and the City Sports Association of the city of Dusseldorf are located in the complex. There are other offices and a three -star brand hotel Tulip Inn, which opened in January 2007.
Location
The Arena is located in the district of Stockum, in the northern part of the district area. To the south and east, the site of the Düsseldorf Exhibition closes at. On the western side is the Rhine. To the west and north are sports facilities at the Sports Park North, which includes the multi-purpose arena. Nearby there is also the international airport in the state capital.
Planning and construction
The construction was decided to operate the Düsseldorf CDU under the leadership of Mayor Joachim Erwin end of 2001 from Düsseldorf city council. The multi-purpose arena was originally intended also for the staging of World Cup matches of the Football World Cup in 2006 and planned for the 2012 Olympics. When awarding the World Cup cities Dusseldorf was not included, the bid to host the Olympic Games failed already in the German preselection.
The decision to build a new stadium, led to criticism. Criticism was that no economic use was predicted because Fortuna Dusseldorf as top ranked football team of the city at the time of construction only viertklassig (Oberliga ) played and the arena would therefore not initially as a football venue in question. In addition, the construction of suitable parking spaces were for television cameras broadcast and "forgotten". On standing was waived during construction. However, these were later established at the initiative of the fans of Fortuna Dusseldorf and can be converted into seats when needed. The football team Rhein Fire was thus the only professional sports team that should deliver their five home games per season in the Arena. Due to the high number of similar arenas in the Rhine-Ruhr region was also doubted that it would be possible to obtain a larger number of stadium -filling concerts in Dusseldorf. Also for the theoretically possible use as an exhibition space for trade shows, there was initially no practical applications.
The high cost of construction and operation have been criticized. Of the 218 million euro construction cost about 80 million were provided from public funds. It was founded a holding company and an operating company. The holding company leased the arena at the operating company, which is responsible for the operation and events.
The construction work was taken over by the Augsburg Walter Bau AG. The operating company was carried out by the company. Also involved are ABB and the city of Dusseldorf. However, the Walter Bau AG came in February 2005 in the bankruptcy. Majority owner of the operating company was the Krefeld entrepreneur Gerald Wagener. The CDU faction in the city council decided in mid-2005 against the coalition partner FDP an increase in the share of the city at the holding company from 60% to 100 %. This initially led to a rupture of the coalition. As the sole shareholder, the City subsequently announced the lease with the operating company to which it itself holds minority interests. The operating company had previously commissioned an audit, were found in the irregularities in accounting.
Events
Football
In the season 2004/2005 league club Fortuna Dusseldorf played four games in the arena. As a " pre-opening " was held on 10 September 2004, the first football game held at the venue at this time still referred to as a multi -purpose arena Dusseldorf. Prior to the Regionalliga Nord most viewers of all time ( 38 123 ) Fortuna Dusseldorf defeated the first FC Union Berlin 2-0. The official inauguration as a sports venue took place on 18 January 2005, with a game before 44 583 spectators, the Fortuna Dusseldorf lost against Bayern Munich 1:5.
On 9 February 2005, the multifunctional arena was the venue for the international football match Germany vs Argentina (2-2 ) to sold-out stands. In the other Regional games of fortune against the Wuppertal SV Borussia VfL Osnabrück and the audience were about 15,000 or 10,000. In the 3-0 win against FC St. Pauli 20,865 spectators in the arena. In the new 3rd Liga ( 2008/ 2009) there were even 27,375 spectators at the 0-1 home defeat against 1 FC Union Berlin. Since the season 2005/2006 Fortuna Dusseldorf denies the majority of its home games in the arena. On the final day of the season 2008/2009 she was with 50 095 spectators sold out for the first time, at the same time, this is the highest ever number of audience of the 3rd league. With a victory against Werder Bremen II Fortuna Dusseldorf succeeded in rising to the 2nd Bundesliga.
The German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen had in his entire second half of the season 2008/ 09, due to the expansion of the BayArena, its home games here. Scheduling conflicts with the actual main users Fortuna Dusseldorf could be avoided.
In the Fan area of Fortuna supporters and fans in the fan area the guests a total of 10,000 standing places were established during the summer of 2010. Thus, a long-standing demand of many football fans have been complied with.
American Football
Between 1995 and 2007 existed in Dusseldorf, the American football team Rhein Fire. Until its demolition in 2002 they played their home games of the NFL Europe carried out in the Rhine Stadium. During the period of construction of the new multi-purpose arena, the team moved to the Gelsenkirchen Arena Aufschalke. After completion, the end of 2004, the arena for the seasons 2005, 2006 and 2007 was back home stadium of the Rhein Fire. With the league final World Bowl found on 11 June 2005 and on 27 May 2006, two highlights of this sport taking place at European level in Dusseldorf.
With the termination of the financial support in the meantime renamed NFL Europe League by the clubs in the American League NFL operation in 2007 has been set. Consequently, it was also the Düsseldorf team, which recently had its offices in the arena dissolved.
A football game in the ESPRIT arena was held back until April 2010. To this the German national team stepped up to as part of the German - Japan Bowl I against the Japanese team.
Other Events
When planning emphasis was placed mainly on multifunctionality. Thus, the arena has a closable roof and a heating system, the internal temperature of at least 15 ° C also makes it possible at outside temperatures of up to -5 ° C. A direct connection to the Rhine Hall ( Hall 6) allows the use of interior space as an additional exhibition space for trade shows. The facade of aluminum tubes allows the projection of videos on the outer shell. Integrated directly into the building are an underground car park with 1150 spaces and 7,000 m² of office space. A hotel of the Tulip chain with 288 rooms and 2150 m² large gym was opened in January 2007.
As a " pre-opening " was held on 10 September 2004, the first football game held at the venue at this time still referred to as a multi -purpose arena Dusseldorf. Was opened the stadium as " LTU arena" on 7 and 8 January 2005, two concerts by Herbert Grönemeyer. As part of World Youth Day 2005 was held one of three open worship before 60,000 pilgrims with Cardinal Karl Lehmann as the main celebrant on August 16. The Düsseldorf-based punk rock band Die Toten Hosen played the final concert of do or die tour before about 50,000 visitors. This was followed by concerts of Phil Collins and one by Marius Müller- Westernhagen. In 2006 Concerts Depeche Mode, Madonna, Bon Jovi took place; Genesis followed in 2007 and the Rolling Stones. In June 2008, Bruce Springsteen and Linkin Park played, most recently Madonna came in her "Sticky & Sweet " tour on September 4, 2008 at the Arena. In November 2008, the TV total Stock Car Crash Challenge was held at the LTU Arena. In 2009, among other Coldplay played in the Esprit Arena. The two concerts from Depeche Mode, to be held in June 2009, were postponed due to an illness in February 2010. The New Apostolic Church celebrated from 22 to 24 May 2009, their European Youth. In addition, the sensation from 2007 to 2010 took place on December 31. At the turn of 2011/2012, the event was canceled. 2012 took the Sensation again on October 13 in the ESPRIT arena instead. In 2013, no sensation will be held in Germany.
In the years 2010 and 2011, the Race of Champions was held in the ESPRIT arena. For these events, a circuit was applied throughout the interior of the arena.
Arena -Sportpark
From 10 to 14 May 2011 Here the Euro Vision Song Contest took place; specially the arena was renamed as ESPRIT not one of the sponsors of the contest: So the sponsors name disappeared, and the arena was named the Dusseldorf Arena. For the period before and after a replacement stadium with 20,000 seats was built for three matches of Fortuna Dusseldorf. The mobile stadium with 12,454 seats and 7,714 standing places built by the construction company Lamb Stadium from January 24 to February 25, 2011 for 2.8 million euros and dismantled shortly after the end of the contest. The inauguration took place with the Under-17 match between Germany and Ukraine on 26 March 2011.
Development
The arena is accessible via a variety of modes of transport. The north vorbeiführende A 44 leads on the one hand from the west of the airport bridge and on the other from the east, from the airport and the crossing A52, the traffic to the major exhibition parking north of the arena. The Arena also has a 1500 parking spaces comprehensive car park, which forms the base of the structure. This is open to visitors with higher quality tickets.
For public transport Metro Station ESPRIT Arena / Messe Nord was built in 2004. He joins directly south of the building to the arena. From there it is possible over the line U78 to reach the center of Düsseldorf. In the immediate vicinity there are other stops for buses. East of the arena is the former central city tram stop Dusseldorf. Metro Station Sportpark Nord / Europe Square is today but still only as an additional stop, the central traffic are handled by the station ESPRIT Arena / Messe Nord.
Furthermore, an extension of the SkyTrain planned, which will connect the arena through the fair with the Dusseldorf airport.
The bicycle is handled on the west side. The there running along the Rhine cycle path provides the ability to use the built there at the turn loop of rail sidings at the south entrance.
Others
The seats inside are seemingly unsorted located in various bright colors. In fact, the distribution of the colored seats is based on a concept which pretended a precise arrangement of different colored seats. This has an optical effect due to the that shows up well occupied even at low utilization in a television broadcast the stadium.